Confused - don't know if my AA flights have been ticketed or not

[Jean Prouvaire]

Two days ago I booked a four-leg domestic journey all within the United States using the AA.com website (via a Google Australia Flights link). Because the Google link sent me to the AA US site (even though I was using google.com.au/flights) and I was paying with an Australian credit card, I was prompted to change to the Australian AA.com site at the payment step. However, when doing so all flight and passenger details were lost. When I tried to search for that particular combination of flights on AA's Australian site, they would not appear.

I needed to book these specific flights, so I rang the AA call centre, who advised me to make the booking on the American AA.com US site, and place the booking on hold. They would then take my payment details over the phone. I did this while on the call with them, and within a minute or so got a "Your trip confirmation and receipt" email, with the record locator (PNR).

If it makes a difference, I recorded my Qantas frequent flyer number against the booking. I'm not an AA Advantage member (of if I am, haven't used it for years).

However, it's been a couple of days and my credit (Amex) card has not yet been charged. There's not even a "pending" transaction, even though the AA email confirmation states "We charged $xx_ to your card ending in xx_X for your ticket purchase".

Forwarding the AA confirmation email to checkmytrip.com (CMT) produces an error: "Oops! Our system was unable to read your trip details and import them into your account."

The Royal Jordanian (RJ) website can't find the booking either.

But searching for the trip on the American Airlines website and app (by using my surname and PNR) does show all four legs, and the flights now appear as a trip on my AA app's home page.

I was worried that the booking had not been ticketed, so I rang the AA call centre again. The person I spoke to assured me that the payment had been processed and the booking had been ticketed, and he even gave me the 13 digit ticket number (starting with 00) over the phone.

So I have some evidence that the flights have indeed been ticketed (the call centre gave me the ticket number), and some evidence that they have not (CMT and RJ can't find the booking, and my Amex has not yet been charged).

Is this normal or should I be concerned?

 

[serfty]

Is this normal or should I be concerned?

It is pretty normal. As long as on AA.com the booking shows as "Ticketed" you should be fine.

Note that AA use SABRE and RJ/QF/BA use Amadeus systems . With that, the AA PNR generally cannot be used on Amadeus sites.

 

[Jean Prouvaire]

It is pretty normal. As long as on AA.com the booking shows as "Ticketed" you should be fine.

Note that AA use SABRE and RJ/QF/BA use Amadeus systems . With that, the AA PNR generally cannot be used on Amadeus sites.

Good to know, thank you serfty. I'll continue to keep an eye on my Amex card though - maybe it just takes a while for the purchase to go through.

I didn't know AA uses SABRE and not Amadeus. Is that also why my trip from Australia to the US, also on AA but made as a Qantas rewards flight (not QF code-share, AA flight numbers), has both a Qantas PNR and a different AA PNR/record locator?

 

[NM]

Good to know, thank you serfty. I'll continue to keep an eye on my Amex card though - maybe it just takes a while for the purchase to go through.

I didn't know AA uses SABRE and not Amadeus. Is that also why my trip from Australia to the US, also on AA but made as a Qantas rewards flight (not QF code-share, AA flight numbers), has both a Qantas PNR and a different AA PNR/record locator?

Since your booking only includes AA domestic flights, there is no reason for Sabre to push the booking details to Amadeus. If your itinerary included other flights that are not AA, then the booking details would be shared across the relevant platforms.

In the case of a QFF rewards booking on AA flights, as the booking is made by QFF (Amadeus) for flights on AA (Sabre) your booking will have two different PNR booking references.

 

[SYD]

I didn't know AA uses SABRE and not Amadeus. Is that also why my trip from Australia to the US, also on AA but made as a Qantas rewards flight (not QF code-share, AA flight numbers), has both a Qantas PNR and a different AA PNR/record locator?

Yes, QF creates their PNR but the underlying trip on AA has the seperate number.

In this scenario, you should be able to see the AA number by entering the QF PNR into CheckMyTrip.com

BTW, purchasing AA flights, it’s usually best to try and stay on the AA.com (US website for better fares / pricing - albeit in USD).

 

[serfty]

I didn't know AA uses SABRE and not Amadeus. Is that also why my trip from Australia to the US, also on AA but made as a Qantas rewards flight (not QF code-share, AA flight numbers), has both a Qantas PNR and a different AA PNR/record locator?

In answer to your question, yes. A Qantas award booking with AA segments will generally have both Amadeus and SABRE booking references.

Just to confuse things, the AA.com.au site uses Amadeus (as they do with a couple of other countries). I have not found an AAward without SABRE.

 

[Mwenenzi]

I was worried that the booking had not been ticketed, so I rang the AA call centre again. The person I spoke to assured me that the payment had been processed and the booking had been ticketed, and he even gave me the 13 digit ticket number (starting with 00) over the phone.

The Qatar QT manage my booking takes a e-ticket number as well as PNR. But due to Sabre/Amadeus may not show.

https://booking.qatarairways.com/nsp/views/retrievePnr.xhtml

 

[NM]

And when paying AA with an Australian credit card, you may have to add a leading zero in the address postcode. The AA systems always want a 5-digit "zip code" and just entering 4 digits fails the payment process. This is both for on-line payment and via an agent over the phone.

 

[SYD]

And when paying AA with an Australian credit card, you may have to add a leading zero in the address postcode. The AA systems always want a 5-digit "zip code" and just entering 4 digits fails the payment process. This is both for on-line payment and via an agent over the phone.

Last time I think I used a zip code for a US place name the same as my suburb name but country was AU…

I have a vague memory that “00000“ works but I could be wrong?

Many stories here of peeps resorting to the “El Segundo” method to save hundreds of dollars….

 

[NM]

Last time I think I used a zip code for a US place name the same as my suburb name but country was AU…

I have a vague memory that “00000“ works but I could be wrong?

Many stories here of peeps resorting to the “El Segundo” method to save hundreds of dollars….

I have never had any issues just adding a leading zero to my actual Australian postcode. That way I can never be accused of misleading or misrepresenting reality. Postcode 40XX = Zipcode 040XX. Always worked for me without needing to suggest my postal address is anything other than what it really is. I don't live in El Segundo or in a place where the postcode is 0000.

 

[Mwenenzi]

And when paying AA with an Australian credit card, you may have to add a leading zero in the address postcode. The AA systems always want a 5-digit "zip code" and just entering 4 digits fails the payment process. This is both for on-line payment and via an agent over the phone.

Adding a leading 0 has worked for me in the past. But do not live in rural New Hampshire USA, but card payment still worked.

 

[Jean Prouvaire]

BTW, purchasing AA flights, it’s usually best to try and stay on the AA.com (US website fir better fares / pricing - albeit in USD).

I was on the US AA.com website - but when I tried to pay on using my Australian credit card number it redirected me to the Australian site and it the process lost all the booking details. That's why I rang the call centre.

 

[Lynda2475]

If booking a flight originating in Australia you use the .au site, otherwise if all the flights are originating within the USA it is normal to book via aa.com and pay them directly.

I've booked many US domestic flights directly with aa.com; pay with a card that has no foreign fees and the e-tickets usually come through within a few minutes. You can enter your Qantas FF on the booking without issue.

I'm surprised they gave you such a convoluted method to book and didnt just tell you to book direct on aa.com. I've never been redirected back to aussie site because I used an aussie credit card.

 

[Jean Prouvaire]

And when paying AA with an Australian credit card, you may have to add a leading zero in the address postcode. The AA systems always want a 5-digit "zip code" and just entering 4 digits fails the payment process. This is both for on-line payment and via an agent over the phone.

Thanks for the tip. I can't recall if the website directed me to use the Australian site in response to entering a country code (ie changing the country to Australia) or a 4-digit zip code - will have to remember the leading 0 trick next time I make a domestic AA booking to see if that avoids the redirect.

 

[Jean Prouvaire]

I'm surprised they gave you such a convoluted method to book and didnt just tell you to book direct on aa.com. I've never been redirected back to aussie site because I used an aussie credit card.

I did use the American aa.com site and when entering my payment details got redirected to the Australian aa.com site which lost all the booking details in the process. I was unable to find my specific flight details when entering my departure & destination airports from the Australian site. That's why I rang them.

 

[justinbrett]

If booking a flight originating in Australia you use the .au site, otherwise if all the flights are originating within the USA it is normal to book via aa.com and pay them directly.

I've booked many US domestic flights directly with aa.com; pay with a card that has no foreign fees and the e-tickets usually come through within a few minutes. You can enter your Qantas FF on the booking without issue.

I'm surprised they gave you such a convoluted method to book and didnt just tell you to book direct on aa.com. I've never been redirected back to aussie site because I used an aussie credit card.

If you change the billing country to Australia you cannot pay on the US site, it redirects you.

If you can process your card without changing this (in the old days we used to use UK), you're fine.

Generally I place it on hold and call up the AA Sydney number, the AA AU site is a joke, it's usually far more expensive.

 

[Lynda2475]

Wondering when that changed? I never had that prompt pre covid.

Another work around (provided you are ok with non-flexible booking class) used to be to book via expedia or amex travel if you can see the US pricing.

 

[SYD]

the AA AU site is a joke, it's usually far more expensive.

and doesn’t necessarily show all the flight and fare options available on the US site….

 

[justinbrett]

Wondering when that changed? I never had that prompt pre covid.

Another work around (provided you are ok with non-flexible booking class) used to be to book via expedia or amex travel if you can see the US pricing.

Really just use the US site and put the booking on hold. Really easy to pay over the phone. I don't like to get other TA's involved in case of changes.

 

[SYD]

Really just use the US site and put the booking on hold. Really easy to pay over the phone. I don't like to get other TA's involved in case of changes.

As an aside, no drama booking AS flights. I was comparing options between AS and AA and Alaskan was just coming out cheaper by far for “First”. Really nothing particularly great value on AA domestic at the moment .